Three Chord Dash – A Chord Building Game

At our last group lesson, we worked on our chord building skills! Some students were learning chords for the first time while others already had experience playing chords in their music. Three Chord Dash offered an even playing field for everyone and it was a blast to see them try to be the first to collect all of the pitches.

Piano students race to complete their chord by flipping over wooden circles with pitch names on them.
  1. To play, you will need
  2. Game Set-up
  3. How to Play
  4. Make it harder!
  5. How to Make the Wooden Circles with Pitch Names
  6. Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

Three Chord Dash is a versatile, fast-paced chord building game to help your students memorize the pitches that make up a given chord. It can be used in both private lessons or group lessons by students of all skill-levels (because it’s always a good idea to drill chords!). Students can be tested on any type of chord and/or inversion.

To play, you will need

  • Chord flashcards (I used mine, available in the Toucan Piano Shop for download). Alternatively, you can simply call out the chords you would like to drill or use an app like Decide Now! (Check out my blogpost on how to use the Decide Now! app)
  • Pitches on wooden circles
  • Keyboard print out (one for each player or team) – A great option are these dry erase keyboard/staff sheets (they are made from a cardstock-like material. They are double-sided, which make them great for a wide variety of tabletop games).
  • Mini-erasers, gems, or any other gamemarker (3 per player or 3 per team)
Supplies for a chord games are laid out on a table. The supplies include chord cards, a keyboard printout, wooden circles with pitches printed on them, and blue and pink gems.

If you’d like to see how I prepared the materials for the game, jump down here.

Game Set-up

Give each player or team a keyboard print out and 3 gamemarkers (mini-erasers, gems, etc.).

The wooden circles should be placed in the center of the table, pitch side down. Scramble the wooden circles.

Three Chord Dash, a chord game, is set up on a table. Each team has a keyboard printout with 3 gems lined up along the top of the printout. Wooden circles are arranged at the center of the table between the two printables.

Shuffle the chord flashcards and place them to the side.

How to Play

The game will be explained for two players. To play with a group, each action explained below should be performed by the group working together.

The teacher flips over the top card of the chord flashcard pile.

Players analyze the chord. Using the keyboard printable, players place a gamemarker on the each keys that makes up the chord. The teacher verifies their work and makes any corrections necessary.

Piano students place their gamemarkers on their keyboards to create an A minor chord.

It is now a race! Players simultaneously flip over the wooden circles to try to find the pitches they need to complete the chord. When a pitch is found, they place the circle in front of them and continue searching for the remaining pitches.

Players quickly turn over the wooden circles at the center of the table to reveal the pitches and attempt to find an A, a C, and an E.

The first player to complete the chord wins the round. The player who completes three chords first is the winner of the game!

The player on the left has completed their chord first.

Make it harder!

If your students are very familiar with chords, you can play Three Chord Dash without the keyboard printable and gamemarkers.

Simply flip over a chord card and start the race! Whoever successfully finds the correct pitches and lines them up properly wins the round.

Take it a step further and have students build the chords in a different inversion each round!

How to Make the Wooden Circles with Pitch Names

Kids love manipulatives and I use the wooden circles over and over again for a variety of games and activities at my studio. And they are very durable! Which is important in fast-paced games like Three Chord Dash since kids are frantically grabbing at them and flipping them over.

I purchased these 1.5″ wood coins in bulk (since I needed to create more than one of each pitch).

There are many different ways to the make the pitch circles. The simplest and quickest way is to use a permament marker and write the names of the pitches directly on the wood coins.

If you would prefer to have the pitches be printed, I used 2″x4″ Avery Shipping Labels. Three pitch names fit on each label (I used Adobe Illustrator to make the circles and align everything, but Avery has a template you can download from their website which would work just as well, minus the circles).

Cut out the individual labels.

Music pitches printed on label paper.

I then used a 1.25″ circle punch (I’ve used this brand in a different size) to cut out the individual pitches.

A 1.25 inch circle punch cuts out the pitches on the labels.

Since the labels are stickers, you can then remove the backing and stick them onto the wood coins.

The label with the pitch name is glued to a wood coin.

For added protection, I applied a layer of sealant (Mod Podge) over the sticker.

The top of the wood coin and label is sealed with Mod Podge.

Make as many as you need!!

Wood coins with music pitches printed on them are arranged on a white table.

Explore more creative teaching ideas
  • Chords Cards – How to Use them with your Students
    I love flashcards!  They are extremely effective for active recall and the long-term retention of concepts. And the best part? They have SO many uses! From interactive games and hands-on activities to group challenges, the possibilities are endless!
  • Best in Pass
    Note-reading and fine motor skills combined! Students will race to be the first to match the letter ping-pong balls to the notes on their spoons. But there’s a twist! They cannot touch the balls with their hands.
  • Snowball Rhythm Game
    Who will be able to make the longest rhythm train before the dreaded “Busted!” stick is revealed?! Kids will practice their rhythms while also practicing their aim in this fun toss game.
  • Chord Snowblast
    Build chords and collect points while trying to avoid the snow blast! Kids will test their knowledge of building chords AND they will actually be hoping to get all the sharps and flats chords!!
  • Two Sides of the Same Coin
    A game about enharmonics that can be played in several different ways! Students will try to collect the most enharmonic pairs and hope that their coins don’t get stolen by another player.

Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

As a “toucan” of our appreciation download a free set of note flashcards (link in our Welcome email)!

By joining the list, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive updates from Toucan Piano. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

toucanpiano2 Comments

Eyes on the Music! Fun and Effective Strategies to Stop Students from Looking at Their Hands

Do your students constantly look down at their hands when their playing?

Beginner students will often look down at their hands because they don’t trust their fingers to navigate the keys soley by touch. In order to avoid mistakes, they look down from their music to visually find the next note they need to play. Their eyes become a crutch which delays the development of the spatial awareness and muscle memory they need to play the piano.

Piano student looks down at her hands while playing the piano.

  1. Why is it important for students to keep their eyes on the music?
  2. Exercises for Keyboard Awareness
  3. Practice Strategies to Keep Eyes on the Music
  4. Can Students EVER look down when playing?
  5. Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

As teachers, we want our students to trust their fingers, develop a deeper connection with the piano, and, ultimately, become confident pianists. To do so, we can use exercises during our lessons to help students build confidence in finding their way around the piano by touch, as well as suggest practice strategies that encourage them to stay focused on the music by blocking their view of the keys (because let’s face it, habits are very hard to break and sometimes we need a little helping hand… or beard! Or even a hoodie!!).

As teachers, we want our students to trust their fingers, develop a deeper connection with the piano, and, ultimately, become confident pianists.

A piano student confidently plays the piano while keeping their eyes on the music.

Why is it important for students to keep their eyes on the music?

In the beginning stages of learning a piece, we are teaching our fingers the movements and distances they need to navigate in order to play that particular piece. By constantly looking and placing our hands and fingers on the right keys we are not allowing our fingers to feel their way around the keyboard and learn how far they need to go to play. Just like a basketball player has to be able to dribble a ball without staring down at it, a pianist must be able to navigate the piano without looking down all the time.

Just like a basketball player has to be able to dribble a ball without staring down at it, a pianist must be able to navigate the piano without looking down all the time.

Another reason we don’t want to look down is because it cuts the flow of the music. The small amount of time it takes to look down at the hands and then look up again to find our place in the music is enough to miss a beat or two… or even more. Looking down becomes a crutch for students and introduces pauses in the music, which can become ingrained and end up compromising the overall flow and structure of the piece.

Exercises for Keyboard Awareness

1) What Key is that?

This is a great exercise for students to really think about what key each individual finger is resting on. Have the student find the starting position of their piece. Close their book and have the student close their eyes. Then ask them, “What key is finger 2 of your right hand sitting on?” When the student has answered, ask about a different finger, “What key is finger 4 of your left hand sitting on?” And so forth, alternating hands and scrambling the finger numbers you call on.

I encourage students to visualize the piano in their mind’s eye and tap the finger I’m asking about on the key (without actually playing it).

Piano student keeps eyes closed while visualizing the keys of the piano in her head.

As students become more confident, you can move their hands to random positions on the piano or increase the speed of your questions.

2) Find your Spot

This is a great exercise for students to feel how their arms are also an integral part of placing their hands on the piano (students often become hyperfixated on the fingers and hands and don’t realize how important everything from the wrist up is!). It also helps them to really feel the key patterns on the piano with their fingers.

Cover the piano keys. Open their book to the piece they are working on. Ask the student to place their hands on their head. Have them analyze the starting position of their piece. When they feel they are ready and have a mental image of where their hands should be placed on the piano, have them close their eyes.

Piano student closes her eyes and places her hands on her head while sitting at the piano.

Uncover the piano keys and tell them to find their starting position by just feeling their way around the piano. With their eyes still closed, the student will lower their hands and attempt to place their hands on the correct keys. When they think they have it, they can open their eyes and see if they are right.

3) One Small Leap…

A lot of beginner music has students playing in one position throughout the entire piece. This exercise helps students make small moves around the playing position to build awareness of the keys that are close by.

Have the student place their hands in the starting position of their piece, then ask them to close their eyes.

Give instructions such as:

  • Move your left hand thumb up a step. What key is it on now?
  • Move your right hand pinky up a step. What key is it on now?
  • Move your entire right hand down a step. Play and name all the keys your fingers are touching.
  • Move your entire left hand up a skip. Play and name all the keys your fingers are touching.
  • Cross the second finger of your right hand over your thumb. Play the key and name it. Then return your hand to the starting position.
  • Move finger 3 of your right hand onto the black key a half step below it. Play the key and name it.
  • Any other movement that is in their practice piece or variation you can think of.
A right hand on the piano crosses finger 2 over the thumb to play a B

Practice Strategies to Keep Eyes on the Music

Habits can be hard to break in general and if a student has become reliant on looking at their hands while playing, they may need some extra help to not peek… especially because sometimes they don’t even realize they are doing it!

So, how can we encourage students to keep their eyes on their music?

1) Cover the Student’s Hands with a Book

If a student is constantly looking down at their hands during a lesson, a quick fix is to hold a book over their hands, obstructing their view. Students are usually amazed with themselves that they can in fact play the piece withouth looking down!

Piano teacher holds a book over a piano students hands to obstruct their view of the keyboard.

This practice strategy can be used at home as well if a parent is available to help.

2) Use a “Beard”

The second strategy is both fun and effective. I saw a similar trick years ago online and when I saw this Santa beard at the store over the holidays I knew I had to have it for my studio. I extended the beard with some fleece.

A package containing a Santa beard and glasses disguise sits on a piano bench

The student puts on the glasses. Then the student tucks the end of the beard under their book on the book rack. The beard hides the student’s hands from view.

Piano student wears a beard connected to toy disguise glasses to obstruct her view of her hands while playing the piano.

It’s hilarious and it works! If you’d like to have a one of your own, you can use a pair of toy glasses and connect a piece of cloth to them.

3) Use a Hoodie worn Backwards

But what about home practice? You can’t always lend out your beard and a parent may not be available to sit with a student while they practice. In this case, the student can use something that is ubiquitous with kids nowadays… the hoodie!

A student plays the piano wearing a hoodie that is on backwards. The hood is lifted so the student cannot see their hands.

This trick works like a charm! Have the student turn their hoodie around, so that the hood is in front of them. The student then adjusts the hood so it is propped up. And there you go! They will not be able to see their hands when they play.

Can Students EVER look down when playing?

Yes! There is a time and place for everything. The real question becomes, “Is what I’m doing benefitting the music? Am I achieving the sound I want from the piano when I look down?”

In general, large leaps and difficult passages require more from us and we do look down at our hands to navigate these passages. BUT at this point, the music is usually memorized and/or looking down has become part of the how the pianist plays the piece. Looking down in this case is not a crutch but adds to the accuracy and flow of the music.

Pianist plays a piece by Beethoven while looking down at the keyboard.

Explore more creative teaching ideas
  • Slurs & Ladders: The Recital Prep Game
    If there is one game my students beg to play year after year (and sometimes when we don’t even have a recital anytime soon!) is this recital prep game. It’s a great de-stressor and it shows students how prepared they are to perform while also injecting some fun and joy back into those recital pieces that may be sounding a little tired.
  • Top Practice Tools Every Piano Student should Have: #4 Recording Device
    When used strategically, a recording device can help students gain valuable insight into their playing and progress faster! I’m sharing my favorite recording equipment and different ways students can use recording themselves as a practice tool to improve their playing.
  • Top Practice Tools Every Piano Student should Have: Curiosity
    Curiosity is the catalyst that gets students to start learning the piano in the first place and can be exactly what’s needed to keep them going for the long haul. Why is it so important and how do we keep it going? What if I don’t play an instrument, but want to encourage my child in their practicing? Check out all the answers plus download a free printable for parents!

Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

As a “toucan” of our appreciation download a free set of note flashcards (link in our Welcome email)!

By joining the list, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive updates from Toucan Piano. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

toucanpiano2 Comments

Summer Piano Listening List

This summer I’m sending my piano students home with the Summer 60: 60 Days of Piano Music! The goal is for them to listen to a piece most days over summer vacation and complete the entire list by the end of August.

It is SO immensely important for students to listen to music and it’s often one of the things that get lost in the shuffle of life. But the summer, the time of long car rides and barbeques, basically demands music! So why not add a little piano music into the mix?!

The Summer 60 is divided into six categories:

  • Top 20 Sizzlers: 20 pieces for solo piano that most people would recognize even if they don’t listen to classical music
  • Baroque Beach Bonanza: A selection of eight pieces from the Baroque period with pieces by J.S. Bach, Arcangelo Corelli, George Frideric Handel, Georg Philipp Telemann, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Dietrich Buxtehude, and Domenico Scarlatti
  • Classical Campfire Concert: A selection of eight pieces from the Classical period with pieces by C.P.E. Bach, J.C. Bach, Muzio Clementi, Luigi Boccherini, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Joseph Haydn, and Carl Czerny
  • Red-Hot Romantic Remix: A selection of eight pieces from the Romantic period with pieces by John Field, Felix Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann, Edvard Grieg, Modest Mussorgsky, Antonin Dvorak, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Amy Beach
  • Modern Midsummer Melodies: A selection of eight pieces from the Modern period with pieces by Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Prokofiev, Alexander Scriabin, Maurice Ravel, Arnold Schoenberg, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Bela Bartok, and Dmitri Shostakovich
  • Contemporary Summer Coda: A selection of eight pieces from the Contemporary period with pieces by Philip Glass, Gyorgy Ligeti, Unsuk Chin, Luciano Berio, Lera Auerbach, Errolyn Wallen, Ludovico Eunadi, and Takeshi Kokayashi.

You might be asking, where’s Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Brahms, and all the other heavy-hitters?! They are in the Top 20 Sizzlers!! I decided, in order to have a wide variety of composers and music, anyone who was in the Top 20 Sizzlers wouldn’t be added to the period selections (with the sole exception of J.S. Bach because we ALWAYS make an exception for Bach!).

A list of piano music lays on the grass in the sun next to a pair of toucan sunglasses and a colorful beach ball.

Each piece on the list is around 5 minutes (or less! Only a few are longer) so it should be easy to squeeze a quick listen in among all the fun summer activities! Some great times to listen are while driving around town, while winding down before bed, while setting the table, and before practicing (wink! wink! Summer is a fantastic time for practicing!!).

Students can listen to the pieces in any order (but listening to them in order does give them an idea of how piano music has changed over the centuries, which is really neat!). When they’ve listened to a piece, they can check the box next to the piece and rate the piece on the emoji scale on the right:

  • Frowny face: Ugh… I never want to hear that again
  • Straight face: That was good, but not my favorite
  • Smiley face: That was fantastic! Why did it have to end?!

The emoji scale can help students to figure out their musical taste!

Summer 60: 60 Days of Piano Music is available as a printable download in the Toucan Piano Store. Happy listening!!

Explore more creative teaching ideas
  • Rhythm Olympics
    Students will go for gold in the Rhythm Olympics, a multi-level multi-week rhythm game! Students compete in 5 rhythm sporting events in the hopes of collecting all 5 gold medals and being crowned a Rhythm Olympics champion!!!
  • Slurs & Ladders: The Recital Prep Game
    If there is one game my students beg to play year after year (and sometimes when we don’t even have a recital anytime soon!) is this recital prep game. It’s a great de-stressor and it shows students how prepared they are to perform while also injecting some fun and joy back into those recital pieces that may be sounding a little tired.
  • Music Friendship Bracelets
    Colorful friendship bracelets make great student gifts for your next recital or they could be a craft for your students to make at a group lesson or studio event! They are colorful, easy to make, and show off our piano pride!

Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

As a “toucan” of our appreciation download a free set of note flashcards (link in our Welcome email)!

By joining the list, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive updates from Toucan Piano. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

toucanpianoLeave a comment

The Ultimate Piano Recital Prep Game

If there is one game that my students ask for and can’t wait to play each and every year, it is our recital prep game! I bust out this game at our last lesson before the recital and we have a great time putting their recital pieces through the wringer (with a lot of laughter along the way!).

Slurs and Ladders, the piano recital prep game, sits on a wood table along with a blue balloon dog game marker and a blue die.

I’ve found this game to be a great de-stressor for my students. It shows them that they are prepared for the recital and adds some fun back into their pieces after having spent so much time preparing them.

I use it as a studio-wide game to see which student can score the most points (I usually announce the results at the recital and the winner gets a little prize). And since it is a game of chance and completely independent of skill level, a kindergartener and a high school student have the same odds of winning!

The game is called Slurs and Ladders – The Recital Prep Game and works a lot like the game “Chutes and Ladders”. It comes with a gameboard (2 sizes), 40 Challenge cards, 20 Chance cards, and instructions as well as a document explaining each Challenge card. Slurs and Ladders is available for purchase in the Toucan Piano Store.

Challenge and chance cards sit on a dark wood table

How to Play

To play you will need:

  • The Slurs and Ladders gameboard
  • Deck of Challenge cards
  • Deck of Chance cards
  • 1 Die
  • 1 Gamemarker

This is a single player game. The student will work their way up the board and collect as many points as they can before reaching the last space on the board. The teacher will keep track of the points the student earns and add them up at the end of the game.

Piano student rolls a blue die while playing the recital prep game, Slurs and Ladders.

The student rolls the die and moves their gamemarker the corresponding number of spaces on the gameboard. If the student lands on a Challenge card space, the student takes the top card from the deck, reads the challenge, then executes the challenge on their recital piece (for example, “Play your piece while doing squats”). Once the student has completed the challenge, the teacher writes down the number of points from the card and play continues.

Piano student plays the piano while balancing a stuffed toucan on her head.

Some challenges are musical, some are meant to get your student’s adrenaline pumping, some are meant to throw them off track and have them try to recover, and some are to remind them of recital etiquette. In the Slurs and Ladders download there is a document explaining each challenge.

If the student lands on a Chance card space, the student takes the top card from the deck, and reads the chance card. Chance cards can give students free points or move them on the board.

If a student lands at the base of a ladder, the student must first do the Challenge/Chance card before climbing the ladder. Once the student has climbed the ladder, they will then do the Challenge/Chance card at the top of the ladder before rolling the die again.

If a student lands at the top of a slur, the student must first do the Challenge/Chance card before sliding down the slur. Once the student has reached the bottom of the slur, they will then do the Challenge/Chance card at the base of the slur before rolling the die again.

A student plays the piano with their arms crossed.

This game has been a hit year after year with my students (we have been playing it for 6 years now!!!) and their eyes light up each time they see it waiting for them when they walk in for their lesson.

Slurs and Ladders is available for purchase in the Toucan Piano Store. I hope your students get a kick out of it as much as mine have!

Explore more creative teaching ideas
  • Positive Notes: Recital Encouragement
    Spread some positivity and encouragement to your students this recital season with these adorable Positive Notes! They will help remind them of how hard they work and how much you believe in them.
  • How to Bow at a Piano Recital
    You’ve just finished playing your piano recital pieces and now the audience is clapping, what do you do now??! It’s time to take a bow and enjoy the adulation for all the hard work you put into learning your pieces. Here’s the step-by-step on nailing the perfect piano recital bow!
  • Music Friendship Bracelets
    Colorful friendship bracelets make great student gifts for your next recital or they could be a craft for your students to make at a group lesson or studio event! They are colorful, easy to make, and show off our piano pride!

Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

As a “toucan” of our appreciation download a free set of note flashcards (link in our Welcome email)!

By joining the list, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive updates from Toucan Piano. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

toucanpiano10 Comments

Positive Notes: Recital Encouragement

Spring is officially here in the northern hemisphere and nature is coming back to life after a long winter’s rest. Flowers are blossoming, the birds are back and busy building nests, and the bugs are back, too (for better or worse!). But the butterflies fluttering about are not the only butterflies I’m noticing…

That’s because it’s recital season! Students are busy working on preparing their pieces for performance soon and some butterflies are starting to creep into their bellies when they start to think about the day of the recital.

We spend a lot of time in the weeks leading up to the recital talking about performance anxiety and stress testing our performance pieces. It helps my students to put things in perspective and deal with the anxiety that we all feel about performing in front of an audience.

I introduced something new at our recital this year: Positive Notes! Positive Notes are cute little eighth notes that each student received on the day of the recital. The Positive Notes had a short encouraging message to help focus my students’ minds before playing. They were a hit (the rainbows ones were the first to run out!!).

The message on the back of the Positive Note reads:

“Hi! I’m a Positive Note! I believe in you. When it’s your turn to face the music, remember you’ve worked very hard and are prepared. Go do your thing! You’ve got this!”

The Positive Notes are available as a free download in the Toucan Piano Store under Recital Resources. I hope that your students will enjoy them as much as mine did! Be sure to tag me on social media if you use them (I love seeing my creations out in the world!).

There are two versions of the Positive Notes: a printable and a paper squishy craft.

Positive Notes: Printable

This version of the Positive Notes is the easiest of the two versions and a quick way to get an encouraging message into the hands of your students.

A rainbow of smiling kawaii eighth notes with sit on a black background.

All you have to do is print them (double-sided printing) and cut them out. They looked so welcoming and joyful on our recital table!

A recital table is set up with programs, a poster of the classical composer Joseph Haydn, colorful positive eighth notes and compliment cards.

You can download the basic printable version of the Positive Notes here.

Positive Notes: Paper Squishy Craft

If you enjoy crafting (like I do!) nothing beats the paper squishy version of the Positive Notes!

Not only are they adorable and spreading positivity but they also double as a fidget and “finger warmer-upper” for your students as they sit waiting for their turn to play!

They do require more time to make but they are definitely worth it if you have kids who need that extra outlet for their nerves. And if you do a group lesson before your recital, this can be a fun craft for the kids to do themselves!

To make the Squishy Positive Notes, start by printing out the color of your choice on regular copier paper.

Printing out a rainbow colored paper eighth note squishy

Cover both sides of the print out with clear tape (I used packing tape because it’s wider and covers a larger area at once, but any clear tape will do).

Covering the print out of a rainbow colored paper eighth note squishy with transparent packing tape

Next, fold the paper along the “Fold here” line.

Folding the tape covered print out of a rainbow colored paper eighth note squishy

While holding the paper in a folded position, cut out the note (you will be cutting the front and the back out at the same time).

Cutting out a rainbow colored paper eighth note squishy
Two hands hold up the two halves of a rainbow colored paper eighth note squishy

Tape the edges of the two halves together, leaving an opening (I found it easier to leave an opening along the straight edge of the note).

Sealing a rainbow colored paper eighth note squishy with transparent tape

Stuff the note with fiber fill (stuffed animal filling). Don’t overstuff!

Stuffing a rainbow colored paper eighth note squishy with stuffed animal poly fill

Seal the open edge with some tape.

Sealing the open edge of a paper eighth note squishy with transparent tape

Your squishy is ready for the recital!!

Rainbow colored eighth note paper squishy being squeezed by a hand

You can download the paper squishy Positive Notes craft here.

Explore more creative teaching ideas
  • Compose a Ringtone
    Ringtones are helpful but what if we could make them special too?! This is a fun and quick project that even the most reluctant students can get behind.
  • Top Practice Tools Every Piano Student should Have: Curiosity
    Curiosity is the catalyst that gets students to start learning the piano in the first place and can be exactly what’s needed to keep them going for the long haul. Why is it so important and how do we keep it going? What if I don’t play an instrument, but want to encourage my child in their practicing? Check out all the answers plus download a free printable for parents!
  • How to Make your Own Music Theory Dice
    Music theory dice are a great tool to have in your piano teacher arsenal but most of the time what you need isn’t available to buy anywhere. DIY Music Theory Dice are so easy to make and they are completely customizable for any concept you would like to work on with your students.

Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

As a “toucan” of our appreciation download a free set of note flashcards (link in our Welcome email)!

By joining the list, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive updates from Toucan Piano. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

toucanpiano6 Comments

Classical Music Easter Eggs

I LOVE a good classical music pun and I feel it’s my responsibility as a piano teacher to share all of the awesome classical music puns with my students! Fortunately they humor me and get a kick out of it too (I mean who doesn’t love a good dad joke?!).

Each year I’ve been challenging myself to come up with different Easter egg crafts to hand out to my students before our Spring break. Last year I made music note eggs which were a big hit! This year our recital theme is Joseph Haydn so I decided to make a classical music pun egg for my students to 1) help them remember how to properly pronounce Haydn’s name and 2) get a chuckle out of them.

Four composer easter eggs with Haydn, Liszt and Handel sit in a pile of pink fake grass.

They are easy and cheap to make which is always a winning combo in my book! I even took it a step farther and made a couple of other designs just for fun. The possibilities are truly endless with this craft!

For this craft you will need:

Take a piece of copier paper and place it on top of a sheet of tissue paper. Using a pencil, gently trace the outline of the copier paper onto the tissue paper. Cut the tissue paper along the lines you traced. The tissue paper should now be the same size as the copier paper.

A person traces a the outline of a sheet of copier paper onto a sheet of white tissue paper using a green mechanical pencil.
A person cuts a sheet of white tissue paper using a pair of pink scissors.

Place the tissue paper on top of the copier paper and tape the top edge of the papers together (this will give the tissue paper stability when it runs through the printer). I used painter’s tape but any tape will do. Trim any excess tape off the edges of the papers.

A person tapes together a sheet of copier paper and a sheet of white tissue paper using blue painter's tape.
A person folds over a strip of blue painters tape to secure two sheets of paper together.

Feed the taped edge of the papers into your printer and print out your design onto the tissue paper.

Paper is feed into a laser printer.
A sheet with mutliple images of the classsical music composer Joseph Haydn exits a printer.

Cut out the designs carefully.

Multiple images of classical music composer Joseph Haydn lay on a wood desk.

Apply a coat of Mod Podge to the area of the plastic egg where you will be placing the design. Place the design onto the egg.

A person applies a layer of Mod Podge to a light blue plastic easter egg.
A person glues an image of Joseph Haydn to a blue plastic easter egg.

Gently tap the design into place and apply a layer of Mod Podge on top of it to seal it. Set the egg aside to dry.

A person taps the image of Joseph Haydn onto a blue plastic easter egg.
A person seals the image of Joseph Haydn onto a blue plastic easter egg using Mod Podge and a paintbrush.

Once the egg is dry, take a Sharpie and write your message on the egg. In my case I wrote: “What’s Haydn in the egg?”

A person writes a on a blue plasitc easter egg using a black Sharpie permanent marker.

Gently pop the egg and carefully cut the design where the seam of the egg has been glued shut using the X-acto knife (utility knife). Then fill the egg with goodies!!

A person cuts the image of Joseph Haydn along the seam of a blue plastic easter egg using an xacto utility knife.
A person fills a blue plastic easter egg with candy.

I loved my Haydn egg so much I decided to experiment with a few other designs for fun! One with sheet music and two with composer puns: “Grocery Liszt: Candy, Candy, Candy!” and “Handel with care!“

Classical music pun on plastic easter eggs sit in a pile of pink grass.

Explore more creative teaching ideas
  • Top Practice Tools Every Piano Student should Have: Curiosity
    Curiosity is the catalyst that gets students to start learning the piano in the first place and can be exactly what’s needed to keep them going for the long haul. Why is it so important and how do we keep it going? What if I don’t play an instrument, but want to encourage my child in their practicing? Check out all the answers plus download a free printable for parents!
  • Compose a Ringtone
    Ringtones are helpful but what if we could make them special too?! This is a fun and quick project that even the most reluctant students can get behind. Plus it makes a sweet Mother’s or Father’s Day gift!

Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

As a “toucan” of our appreciation download a free set of note flashcards (link in our Welcome email)!

By joining the list, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive updates from Toucan Piano. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

toucanpianoLeave a comment

Sweet Words: Valentine’s Note-Reading Game

Who doesn’t love to hear Sweet Words?! The right words can make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

This Valentine’s Day your elementary level students can get all the feels with Sweet Words a note-reading and keyboard awareness game. But love doesn’t come easy… these sweet words are missing letters! Who will be able to find their missing letters and complete their word first? Students will have fun reading the notes on the staff (or naming the white keys on the piano) to try to fill in the missing letters of their sweet word first.

I play this game every year with my students (I use it with my older students as well as a quick review game and to check how fast they are recognizing the notes!). We spent all of last week playing and had a blast!

A piano student rolls a pink die on top of a card that reads "Heart" but has letters missing.

For an easy twist on the game, I have each player draw 3 cards. Each player picks one card to start with and can only move onto their next card once they have filled in their first card. It ups the stakes quite a bit and adds an extra layer of excitement to the game!

A piano student reads and sorts through popsicle sticks with music notes written on them trying to find a match for one of the Valentine's words.

Another twist I like to use (especially for my high energy students) it to replace the die for a toss game (like the one I use for my Snowball Rhythm Game – the one I use is out of stock but this one on Amazon is a great alternative and can be used throughout the entire year!). Depending on which hole they land the snowball in will determine how many note cards they will get.

I like to use my popsicle stick notes because I have 3 different sets and can drill specific subsets of notes with my students. Sweet Words comes with all the note and keyboard cards needed for playing. Plus they are pink (nothing screams Valentine’s Day more than the color pink!).

A card with the word "Friend" written in both piano keys and letters sits on a black piano bench.

As I mentioned, I played this game last week with all my students and something funny happened. I always ask my students to draw my cards for me (that way no one can complain about the words we get). I shuffle all the cards then I fan out the deck with the cards face down for the student to select their cards and mine. No joke, three different students on the same day drew “Cupid”, “Date”, and “Baby” for me at random. There are 20 cards in the deck, what are the odds?! I don’t know what the universe is trying to tell me! Lol

Sweet Words is available for purchase in the Toucan Piano store. I hope your students enjoy it as much as mine do!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Explore more creative teaching ideas
  • Valentine’s Day Round-Up
    Make Valentine’s Day special for your students with free downloadable piano-themed Valentine’s cards and lots of music theory games that will have your students seeing hearts!
  • I Can Heart-ly Wait for the Punchline
    A heart themed laugh-out-loud note reading game. I love this game because not only do students have to think about keyboard geography, they also have to be able to associate the notes with their exact location on the piano. 
  • Sky High Love
    The rhythms get longer as the heart towers get higher! Whose tower will remain standing in the end?! This adrenaline-inducing rhythm game is a great way to kick-off a lesson and get the energy up.
  • Musical M.A.S.H
    This free printable game tests your student’s knowledge of the spaces on the grand staff. It’s a fast, easy game to play, and will predict your student’s musical future with hilarious results!
  • Rainbow Manuscript Paper
    This colorful manuscript paper is available in the Toucan Piano shop as a free printable! They are available in three sizes, so they can be used for a variety of ages and activities, like writing out original compositions, explaining music theory concepts, music dictation, games, and so much more!

Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

As a “toucan” of our appreciation download a free set of note flashcards (link in our Welcome email)!

By joining the list, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive updates from Toucan Piano. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

toucanpiano1 Comment

Don’t Miss a Beat

Rhythm and meter are fundamental components of music that all students need to continuously work at… even though they more often than not complain about it. As teachers, it can be hard to find a game that grows with a student or can be played by multiple students at different levels at the same time (in the case of a group lesson or piano party).

Don’t Miss a Beat! is a fun multi-level rhythm game that you can play with ALL of your students in your studio. With 136 rhythm cards in the deck, it covers the basics from quarter, half and whole notes all the way up to more complicated rhythms such as triplets, sixteenth notes, dotted eighth notes and their combinations. It also covers three different time signatures: 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8. It can be purchased in the Toucan Piano Store.

Piano teacher measures the height of a large stack of rhythm cards from the games Don't Miss a Beat!

All you need to play are the Don’t Miss a Beat! cards, dice (one for each player), and a white board and dry erase marker (or paper and pencil). Players take turns drawing a card from the deck and try to figure out how many beats are missing in the measure.

Students must analyze the time signature and figure out how to successfully complete the measure using their knowledge of rhythm note and rest values.

Don't Miss a Beat! rhythm card deck sits on top of a whiteboard and next to a pair of dice and a black dry-erase marker.
Piano student writes the correcting counting under a rhythm sequence on a white board.

Check out the game in action:

If students need an extra challenge, Don’t Miss a Beat! comes with two printable challenge dice. When using the dice in the game, the player must use the rolled rhythm to help complete the measure. This helps to keep students from resorting to the same rhythms over and over again.

Variation of the Game for Students at Different Skill Levels

Don’t Miss a Beat! can be adapted to students at different skill levels. Simply create a deck of rhythm cards for each student based on the rhythms they know and what you would like them to drill.

To play, player 1 draws a card from his/her deck, analyzes the measure and determines how many beats are missing. Both players try to roll that number. For example, if the measure is missing 2 beats, the players must roll a 2.

If player 1 rolls a 2 first, then player 1 will complete the measure by writing out a rhythm sequence that satisfies the time signature. Then player 1 will clap and count the measure to earn a point.

However, if player 2 rolls the 2 first, player 1 has been blocked and the round is over. Player 2 now draws a card from his/her deck and the same procedure is repeated.

Whoever collects 5 points first wins.

Don’t Miss a Beat! is available for purchase in the Toucan Piano Store by clicking here.

Explore more creative teaching ideas
  • Sky High Love
    The rhythms get longer as the heart towers get higher! Whose tower will remain standing in the end?! This adrenaline-inducing rhythm game is a great way to kick-off a lesson and get the energy up.
  • Compose a Ringtone
    Ringtones are helpful but what if we could make them special too?! This is a fun and quick project that even the most reluctant students can get behind.
  • Rainbow Manuscript Paper
    This colorful manuscript paper is available in the Toucan Piano shop as a free printable! They are available in three sizes, so they can be used for a variety of ages and activities, like writing out original compositions, explaining music theory concepts, music dictation, games, and so much more!

Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

As a “toucan” of our appreciation download a free set of note flashcards (link in our Welcome email)!

By joining the list, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive updates from Toucan Piano. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

toucanpiano3 Comments

Plastic Egg Music Notes

I recently came up with the idea of making music notes out of plastic eggs. I made them as Easter gifts for my students (I put a few pieces of chocolate and candy inside each one). They all loved them! And they were super affordable to make (which is important when you have a lot of students!).

I ended up having so much fun making them, I not only made one for each of my students but also made a bunch for myself. And that’s because my mind was swimming with ideas on a variety of different ways to use them:

  • gifts for students as they head off for summer vacation
  • music teacher gift (make some for your child’s school music teacher and fill them goodies!)
  • music theory games (more on that is a future post!)
  • kid’s craft for a music-themed summer camp
  • decorations for your piano studio or music room

There are so many possibilities! And bonus… they are SO easy to make. Here is a video showing the whole process:

To make your own plastic egg music notes, you will need:

Black self adhesive craft foam sheets, five black plastic eggs, a bunch of black pipe cleaners, and two stick of black hot glue sit on a white table.

Whatever plastic eggs you decide to use (I think colorfully ones would be so adorable, too!), remember to look for plastic eggs that have two holes in the bottom (the wider half of the egg).

Hands hold the halves of a black plastic egg

Fold one of the pipe cleaners in half and thread the two ends of the pipe cleaner through the holes in the bottom half of the plastic egg. Make sure to start on the inside of the egg so the ends of the pipe cleaner are on the outside of the egg.

A black pipe cleaner has been bent in half and a hand points to the bend.
A black pipe cleaner is threaded through the holes in the bottom of a black plastic egg

Pull the ends of the pipe cleaner through and twist them tightly against the egg. You may want to push the pipe cleaner on the inside of the egg so that it is flush on the inner wall of the egg.

Then twist the two ends of the pipe cleaner together from the base of the egg all the way up to the ends of the pipe cleaner.

A black pipe cleaner is twisted to the bottom of a black plastic egg
Half of black plastic egg is held up to show how a black pipe cleaner was attached to the end of the egg

Since I was making a bunch of music notes, I made an eighth note flag stencil out of cardboard. I traced the flag onto the back of self-adhesive craft foam. Then I flipped the stencil over to get a mirrored image of the flag and traced the flag again. I was able to stencil 12 flags onto a single sheet of self-adhesive craft foam.

Hands trace an eighth note flag cardboard stencil onto the backing of a sheet of self-adhesive craft foam
Hands trace a second eighth note flag cardboard stencil onto the backing of a sheet of self-adhesive craft foam

Cut out the flags. It is now time to assemble the three parts of the music note!

Half of a black plastic egg with a black pipe cleaner attached to it sit between two black eighth note flags made of self-adhesive craft foam

Bend the pipe cleaner about an inch from the top. This will provide a secure connection point for the craft foam.

Hands bend a black pipe cleaner

Peel back the paper backing from one of the craft foam flags. Press the bended end of the pipe cleaner against the sticky side of the craft foam. Make sure that the stem of the note is along the edge of the flag but still sticking to the flag.

Hand peels the white paper backing off of black self adhesive craft foam
A pipe cleaner is placed on the sticky side of black self adhesive craft foam

Remove the backing of the second craft foam flag and carefully lay the sticky side of the flag carefully onto the sticky side of the first flag. The pipe cleaner should be sandwiched between the two craft foam flags. Be careful when sticking the flags together… the adhesive is very sticky and once they touch, you cannot pull them apart without ripping the craft foam.

Hand peels the white paper backing off of a second black self adhesive craft foam
Two black self adhesive craft foam eighth note flags are glued together.

Press the flags together to secure everything together.

Hands press together two pieces of black self adhesive craft foam

This part is optional but if you plan to use the plastic egg music notes for games or as decorations, I would strongly suggest adding this step. My experience is that the craft foam tends to separate over time. It will hold together in the short term, but over time the craft foam flags will have to be pressed together again on occasion.

In order to make everything hold together in the long term, I suggest running some hot glue along the seams of the craft foam flags (at the edges where the two flags meet).

I also like to add a dot of hot glue at the base of the stem, where the pipe cleaner exits the holes of the egg, to help the stem stand up straight. The stem will usually stand up straight with a little adjusting, but the glue gives it a little extra support.

A hot glue gun loaded with a black hot glue stick applies glue to the edges of the plastic egg music note
A hot glue gun loaded with a black hot glue stick applies glue to the base of the plastic egg music note

The plastic egg music note is all done and ready to be filled with some treats!!!

A plastic egg music note is loaded up with a piece of chocolate

Explore more creative teaching ideas
  • The Die of Destiny
    Sometimes  a student will walk into my studio without their usual bounce in their step. I’ve found that a little silliness and a dash of chance gets them in the mood to pull out their piano books and play music. The Die of Destiny is a fun and quick lesson starter to get students playing.
  • Compose a Ringtone
    Ringtones are helpful but what if we could make them special too?! This is a fun and quick project that even the most reluctant students can get behind.
  • Two Sides of the Same Coin
    A game about enharmonics that can be played in several different ways! Students will try to collect the most enharmonic pairs and hope that their coins don’t get stolen by another player.

Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

As a “toucan” of our appreciation download a free set of note flashcards (link in our Welcome email)!

By joining the list, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive updates from Toucan Piano. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

toucanpiano1 Comment

How to Make your Own Music Theory Dice

Music Theory dice are a great tool to have in your piano teacher arsenal! They can be used for a variety of activities within a lesson, including:

  • Review music theory concepts
  • Play music theory games
  • Test your student’s knowledge on a specific concept
  • Propose challenges for a student
  • Compose

There are many pre-made options available on the market but I love the flexibility of a DIY set of music theory dice. I can cater them to a specific game and I can cover WAY more concepts (there may not always be pre-made dice available for what I would like to work on with my students).

I’m going to share two different dice you could try out: one is a reusable option and the other is a semi-permanent solution which can be used over over again (but can always be changed up if you’d like).

Reusable Music Theory Dice

The reusable option is a dry-erase die which can be easily used over and over again for whatever concept you with to work on with your students.

Hand holding a purple dry erase die with the letters A, B and D written on its sides in black marker. In the background are three other dice (a red one, a blue one and a green one) along with a dry-erase marker and eraser.

I especially like this particular dry-erase dice set because the whiteboard of the dice is lower and therefore protected by the colored elevated borders. This keeps what is written on the whiteboard from being rubbed off when the dice are rolled and also gives kids a good place to hold the dice so their fingers don’t erase the text.

A hand holds a black dry-erase marker. It is drawing a quarter note on a purple dry-erase die. Three other dice sit in the background, a blue one, a red one, and a green one.

They are also great for younger kids since they are bigger and easy for them to handle.

Semi-Permanent Music Theory Dice

This is an excellent option for things you would like to use over and over again. I use these blank dice and labels.

15 blank white dice sit on a lighten wood table along with a page of 2 inch by 4 inch white labels.

I just write (or print out) the concept I want to drill on the label, cut it down to size, and stick it to the blank die. You can use a single label to cover all the sides of a die… and still have a lot leftover to use later.

Three pictures show the process of creating a music theory die. The first step shows a hand drawing a quarter note in black pen on a white label. The second step shows scissors cutting out the quarter note. The third step is to stick the label with the quarter note onto the blank die.

If I plan to use the die a lot, I also apply a layer of Mod Podge to protect the labels.

A hand holding a paint brush is applying a layer of Mod Podge sealant to the surface of a die.

If I ever need to change out the concept, it’s just a matter of peeling the label off the die.

With the dice all ready to go, it’s game time!!

Explore more creative teaching ideas
  • The Die of Destiny
    Speaking of dice, the Die of Destiny is a fun lesson starter when a student walks into my studio without their usual bounce in their step. I’ve found that a little silliness and a dash of chance gets them in the mood to pull out their piano books and play music!
  • Sky High Love
    Whose tower will remain standing in the end?!
    This adrenaline-inducing rhythm game is a great game to play with a homemade set of rhythm dice (just replace the rhythm sticks with dice!). AND it’s a great way to kick-off a lesson and get the energy up.

Let’s stay in touch, join the list!

As a “toucan” of our appreciation download a free set of note flashcards (link in our Welcome email)!

By joining the list, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive updates from Toucan Piano. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

toucanpiano4 Comments